Life According to Cornelius
/By Susan Cleland
Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you shared your home, birthdays, holiday celebrations and other daily family milestones with a turkey? Especially a tremendously handsome, outgoing and intelligent turkey such as Cornelius?
Cornelius, or “Corno”, arrived at HEEFS on April 27th, 2017 with his friend, Hank (2014-2019). They were surrendered by a couple who could no longer take care of them. Upon his arrival, Cornelius quickly made himself right at home by promptly moving from the Main Barn into Derek, Steve, Esther, Delores, and Phil’s house. He quickly became the self-appointed Head of Security at HEEFS.
Corno’s relationship with his siblings
Like many animals in our home, 7-year-old Corno is very loyal and works hard to protect his family. He’s quick to point out to friends and relatives when they’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. But underneath his tough, puffed out, velvety white feathers, is an incredibly sensitive and loving brother.
Of all his siblings, Cornelius shares a very close relationship with, Esther. They can often be seen cuddling in a pile of soft and cozy blankets together, especially on cold, wet days, which are not Cornelius’s favourite... He’s a fair-weather turkey.
When Esther had to stay at the hospital for a while in 2019, Cornelius showed great concern and empathy. He was often seen standing outside, waiting for his sister to return home. When she did, it was a joyful reunion full of cuddles and catching up over dinners. Yes, Cornelius has special permission from Esther to share a meal from her own bowl (sorry, Phil).
As Head of Security at HEEFS, Cornelius can sometimes get ornery with guests, so it’s Phil’s job to remind Corno to be welcoming of friends. And it’s Corno’s job to remind Phil that he’s the one who is wearing the security badge.
In Dads’ Arms
Out of all his family members, Cornelius loves Steve and Derek the most!
“He comes to us for affection and to show us how handsome he is by puffing his feathers up just right. Cornelius also knows his angles and is always careful to show his best side,” said proud dad, Derek.
With impressive facial recognition, Cornelius is not afraid to ask his Dads for a warm hug or to have a snack. In addition, with Corno’s impressive memory and spatial awareness, he knows where all the food storage containers are on the property and will follow Steve to the feed room to get his dinner ration.
“He also has amazing eyesight and can spot a banana being peeled open from across the room. He LOVES bananas and always has count on how many should be in the bowl,” smiled Derek.
Steve laughed, “Yes! If you think you are going to enjoy a whole banana to yourself you are sorely mistaken!”
Just as our family member may give us “the look” or an attention-grabbing, “Meow!” for a treat, Cornelius communicates in much the same way, and he’s not afraid to pull out all the stops with his big brown eyes.
“Cornelius loves to help with dinner when we are cooking! He is often seen just a few feet away making his cute little endearing noises asking for something to be thrown his way. He loves cooked spaghetti noodles. The way he nails them back is awesome and very exciting!” said Derek.
APD And A Nose Noodle
As we have seen in the many heartwarming videos of handsome Cornelius, he wears a diaper, or what his Dads call, “An accident prevention device” (APD). As Steve and Derek quickly learned, they cannot change his APD while wearing housecoats because it’s scary for him as he thinks he’s about to be covered up in some way.
Recently, the Animal Care Team at HEEFS did a 6-week health check with Cornelius.
"Corno’s recent health check went very well. He is a bit slower moving with old age, but he gets where he needs to go and is overall very healthy!” explained Andrea. “However, unlike some residents, he does not like health checks!”
Cornelius is a loving, sensitive and intelligent family member who offers inside jokes and hugs that only strengthen the familial bond, in addition to his 24/7 security services. If you do not share your home with a turkey, we are very fortunate to observe the depths of Cornelius’s affection for the animals and humans in his big and beautiful life, according to him.
